Finishing Our Fireplace

If you’re a regular blog reader, you’ll know that last year we ripped out the ugly gas fireplace we inherited from the previous owners and replaced it with a beautifully streamlined log burner and oh my goodness it was such a great decision. This winter, the log burner has kept us beyond cosy and meant that we’ve saved a big amount by not having to have the heating on throughout the house in the evenings. Here’s a little reminder of what we had originally:

And it ended up looking like this, once I’d finished painting the inside which took a long time because we’d been trying to follow the advice of people who said it was impossible to paint the inside of a fireplace white since it will scorch. And then I decided to follow my instinct and painted it anyway:

There were a few finishing touches we didn’t quite get around to completing like trying to find a companion set and log basket but instead made do with what we could as the winter set in and realised we could just keep looking as and when, rather than rush to get it finished. We stuffed logs down one side, kindling down the other and used a big kitchen knife to poke about – aren’t we resourceful?

Now winter has passed and we probably won’t use the log burner until later this year, even though on a weekend like this one I could quite easily have lit it. And quite unexpectedly, we stumbled across this brilliant kindling bucket from Waitrose in a beautiful blue-grey colour and it’s absolutely perfect. We’ve decided not to hunt for a log basket as we actually quite like keeping them down the sides and it helps to dry out the damper ones and now we can keep the smaller kindling out of the way and use both sides for logs. We still need a companion set but we’re one step closer.

It’s funny how sometimes just taking your time with something can lead to a different decision. The hunt for a log basket is now over and hopefully before winter comes again I can find the perfect set so we don’t have to resort to using kitchen knives! I’ve also decided that the fireplace is a little too bare and minimalist for me and I’d love to add a reclaimed wood mantel once we decorate which will finish it off perfectly and allow us to decorate a little at Christmas and make the room cosier. The stove also needs a coat of blacking now we won’t be using it again just to get it back to it’s pristine best.

I’m ever so slightly pleased with how good the inside paint job looks too – specialists telling us we had to use heat proof paint or paint it black. I reasoned with myself that if once a year I need to repaint it because it yellows, that’s a small price to pay and after 6 months of using the stove nearly every day it looks as good as new. Thumbs up all round.

28 Comments

Aileen Stewart

April 27, 2016 / 9:19 am

Lovely Lins, really sets off the room 🙂 Garden Trading do items like the kindling bucket in very similar colours http://www.gardentrading.co.uk/garden 🙂 I’ve got the little seeds box, but we’ve got a full house renovation planned too, so no doubt I’ll just have to purchase more items……………

Lins, I found this post on #HomesEtc. I love log burners. We can’t have one here as we have ripped out the fireplace completely and replastered the wall but I do love them. Yours is gorgeous…And that old fireplace…HID-E-OUS!

Did you purposely choose a Kindling Basket to match the HomeEtc Badge? 😉

It just looks lovely with the basket and the wood. Gorgeous photos too.

Ah thank you so much Jane, yes it’s one of the saving graces that at least they left the fireplaces in the living room and the dining room so we can do something with them. It’s been so incredibly cosy this past winter and I love it so much (as does the dog!)
You know I hadn’t even noticed matching the colours of HomeEtc, great spot and thank you for stopping by X

I love the logs down the side too, and it’s great how trusting your own instincts with the paint outsmarted all those naysayers – go Lins! I miss not having a real fire, poking around in one is the best bit, but hope you find something better than a kitchen knife to do it with 😉 #HomeEtc

It looks really lovely and cosy. I am a bit of a pyrophobe so I’m really nervous about having a real fire – we have installed an artificial one – but I do love it when I go to someone else’s home and it’s all warm and cosy. I bought my Aunt and Uncle a lovely fireside bucket from Next a couple of years ago and ‘Not on the High Street’ have a lovely selection of fireside accessories – I’m sure you’ve already seen but just incase….Love that you went ahead and did what you wanted with the paint and it all worked out fine xx #HomeEtc

Saw your new bucket on Instagram a few days ago and thought it was a perfect fit. It’s all looking amazing and is really all starting to come together now!

Ps. We have our log burner on now and I don’t know how we ever lived without it! I object to turning the heating back on as it’s almost May, but it’s absolutely freezing up here in Manchester. It even snowed a bit today.

Aaah Lins!! It looks absolutely amazing!!!! I love our log burner — they really do make a house feel so cosy don’t they? Even when they’re not on!!!!! 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up with us lovely! Caro x #HomeEtc

It looks fab, I so love our open fire not only do they look amazing but are so cosy, the only thing that bugs me is how it generates dust, but it is something I am prepared to put up with because on those cozy nights sat by the fire it is so worth it xxx